Best Cartridge for Less than $500

I nominate the Rega Exact 2. It's a dead-nuts compliance/resonance/alignment match for an RB300, price is in your ballpark, doesn't require anything fancy in the way of stepup transformer or hi-gain preamp, and in its element (i.e., on a Rega tonearm), is fast, open, relaxed, and very natural sounding.

Ortofon 2M Bronze or Black also.

Dear Adidio: With " that " kind of cartridge budget you could buy at least two very fine cartridges, please read the next link:

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1200430667&read&3&4&

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Thanks all - my fondness for "giant killer" products prompted me to go with the Denon DL 103R. I was able to find it for $315, including shipping, so for once I actually came well under budget. Hopefully, I won't be disappointed. Thanks again.

Dear Adidio: Hope things go well with that cartridge.

Btw, why don't look today on ebay for the Sonus Gold Blue ( MM ) and the Yamaha MC-7 ( MC ), both cartridges are new and you can buy both for less than the Denon price but the good news is that either of those cartridges ( IMHO ) beats the quality Denon performance that is a good cartridge but ( IMHO ) in anyway a " giant killer ".

Regards, enjoy the music and remember that: " High end is what you are not what you buy/have. "

Raul.

I have to say, I do not think that the Ace is lean or thin sounding at all. Now, that may just be my system, or it may be the way my cartridge is set up, and to be honest, I haven't heard many other cartridges to compare it to.

If any thing, I would say the OPPOSITE! The ACE is rich in the bass department, with it's forte being the midrange. I have not heard the Grado, but from everything I read - the grado's generally have great midrange, but aren't great trackers and have rolled off highs and rolled off lows. It's hard for me to back the ACE whole heartedly, but I can say that I have been happy with it. It's a good tracker, it is nicely balanced, and smoothe to my ears.

I would love to hear the blackbird or the dynovector, but for you, they are both over $500, so unless you are willing to buy used, I would count those out, and If I were you, I would be very reluctant to buy a used cartridge. You never know in what condition it will be. That's just me.

Check out the review on Absolute Sounds website:

http://www.avguide.com/products/product-3327/

The reviewer there does mention to be careful to pair it with a medium mass tonearm or it may sound to lean...maybe that is what Audiofiel heard.....